How To Build A Tween Heartthrob
Justin. Rob. Zac. Their first names elicit screams from their young fans (and often non-recognition among adults). Their faces are plastered on school lunchboxes; their every activity dissected and analyzed online. Those who are tween heartthrobs are members of a unique and exclusive club, with only a select few inducted each year. Yet among the thousands of potential candidates, what elevates one over another? Why, for instance, are tweens lusting after Rob Pattinson, but not Alex Pettyfer? While there’s no exact formula, there are certain characteristics necessary in order to become a tween heartthrob…
It’s All About The Pillowcases: Talent matters, but it’s impossible to become a heartthrob without merchandise. Girls need to be able to wear, sleep, and even brush their teeth with them. “Tweens just demand these products and you go through each category to find out which ones make the most sense,” says Warner Music Group’s Sara Nemerov, the label behind rising heartthrob Cody Simpson. It doesn’t matter if dolls come before lunchboxes, just as long as the artist appears in as many aisles as possible. “You need to maximize the opportunities the tween has to associate with the artist. It’s basic marketing: the more impressions means the better chances for profit,” says music executive Aaron Simon, who handled Britney Spears , N*Sync, and the Backstreet Boys.
Disney's infamous tween pop franchise system sputtered 
